Laurelglen

Bakersfield, CA

Getting to Know Bakersfield, CA

Located halfway between Fresno and Los Angeles, historic Bakersfield offers a lively arts scene, multiple museums, beautiful lakes, and several colleges and universities. The city is home to four institutions of higher education--San Joaquin Valley College, Santa Barbara Business College, Bakersfield College and California State University, Bakersfield. With a huge Basque population, Bakersfield also features the largest collection of Basque restaurants in the U.S. Order the traditional Basque Picon Punch (or just "a Picon," as the locals say) and learn why residents love calling Bakersfield their home.

Did You Know?

The unofficial "country capital of the West Coast," Bakersfield is the birthplace of a country music sub-genre known as the Bakersfield Sound, made famous by singers like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. If you're a country music fan, make sure to check out a performance at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace.

Bakersfield Apartments and Neighborhoods

Many neighborhoods in Bakersfield share the benefits of a strong economy, ethnic diversity and, of course, sunny California weather. Rental prices tend to be lower here than in the rest of the state, so you can experience all the joys of California for less. As you conduct your Bakersfield apartment search, consider some of these top neighborhoods.

South Bakersfield: Located south of Highway 58, this area is primarily residential and offers proximity to the Kern County Fairgrounds, Valley Plaza Mall and Planz Park.

Downtown: If you're looking for variety, consider a downtown neighborhood, where you'll enjoy easy access to the arts district, the central business district and the oldest parts of the city.

Southwest: Based around California State University, this area supports a college population with lots of shops and restaurants as well as a strong public transit system.

East Bakersfield: Also known as Kern City, this town has a strong agricultural presence as well as its own business district, known as Old Town Kern. The area is popular with seniors and retirees.

Students can find several appealing apartment choices near the University of California, Bakersfield, located on the southwest side of the city. This public university is home to nearly 8,000 students, who are pursuing majors in 31 undergraduate degree programs, seven credential programs in education and 17 graduate degree programs. The city is also home to Bakersfield College, which serves 15,000 students on the 153-acre main campus in northeast Bakersfield, at the Weill Institute in downtown, and at the Delano Center 35 miles north of Bakersfield.

Fun Things to Do in BakersfieldIf you're living in downtown Bakersfield apartments, you're within easy reach of the city's arts, music and culture center. At the heart of downtown is the Rabobank Arena, which hosts large concerts, children's shows, traveling Broadway musicals and sports events. Nearby, the Bakersfield Museum of Art is a 17,400-square-foot facility that features fine art, educational programs, community outreach and special events. The McMurtrey Aquatic Center in southeast downtown Bakersfield offers multiple water-related programs throughout the year, such as water aerobics, kayaking, fly fishing and water walking.

Free Things to DoYou're sure to be entertained by the work of local actors and directors at The Empty Space, where theatrical productions are free to the public.

Bakersfield Activities for Families with KidsYou and your family will love local attractions like the Sam Lynn Ballpark, the Fox Theater and numerous museums. On sunny days, check out the city's various spray parks, a fun way for all ages to cool off while seeing some of Bakersfield's public art. Your children are also in good hands with top-rated schools such as W.A. Kendrick Elementary School and Fruitvale Junior High School.

Parks and Outdoor Activities in Bakersfield

If you want to become one with nature, visit the California Animal Living Museum, a zoo and garden that is home to native animals that can't survive in the wild. With 53 parks in the city, you could visit a different park every week for a year! Centennial Park offers a kids' sandlot area, a leash-free dog park, picnic areas, and basketball, tennis and volleyball courts. Beach Park in the Riviera/Westchester neighborhood features a skate park and lighted rugby courts, while Jastro Park keeps guests entertained with horseshoe pits and an amphitheater.

Pet-Friendly Activities

Bring your four-legged friend along for shopping at Murray Family Farms. Bakersfield also offers a number of great dog parks, including Kroll Dog Park and University Dog Park.

Getaways from Bakersfield

The distance to sunny California beaches is only two to three hours, with Pismo Beach being one of the closest to Bakersfield. You're also just two and a half hours from Los Angeles, home of Santa Monica Pier and the famous Hollywood Boulevard.